Ana Aleksić
March 18, 2023
Like a volcano, a video by the Albanian content creator from the Instagram profile @Shipdonsalijaj exploded, calling for a boycott of Serbian products in Kosovo. It seems that the author, in a race for an impressive number of views, took advantage of the moment of resolving a long-standing conflict and, without real intent, brought some facts to light.
First, that our products are indeed close to the youth in Kosovo, which is unknown to most, but on the other hand, we know that Albanians from Kosovo sell their goods via Instagram across Serbia. Thus, just like music, trade knows no borders and requires no passports but always seeks interaction and cooperation, even between conflicting parties. There are numerous examples worldwide that trade can build peace.
Kashmir has been one of the most turbulent regions in the world for decades, disputed by India and Pakistan since the British withdrawal in 1947, but it is also an example of the role trade can play together with conflicting parties in building peace. It was a day of great hope in Kashmir when, in 2008, trucks loaded with goods crossed the “Bridge of Peace” for the first time after 60 years of conflict. The governments of India and Pakistan agreed to open two routes across the border area for trade between the parts of Kashmir administered by India and Pakistan.
The process of establishing trade relations progressed gradually and was part of a peace-building process that included not only trade but also various initiatives involving youth and women. Numerous obstacles were on this path, from issues posed by an inadequate banking sector and poor overall communication to more serious political challenges such as the resistance of secessionist politicians. However, the peace-building project started by restoring communication between people and families, forming a base to support trade relations through the creation of a Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with members from both sides. It was precisely this focus on new income, this degree of mutual self-interest, along with increased communication among former conflicting parties, that was the basis for increased interdependence based on trade.
Ameya Kilara from Conciliation Resources describes the chamber’s impact: “The joint chamber has grown into an organization with 48 members from 14 constituent business associations from various regions of Kashmir. It is becoming increasingly democratic in its functioning and acts as a glue between local traders, large business chambers, the wider community, and the two governments. Its members represent a broad spectrum of religious, cultural, linguistic, and political diversity. This forum has now gained the trust and credibility to lobby governments for trade expansion. For example, when trade was suspended due to political disputes, the Joint Chamber played a role in advocating for its swift resumption. Perhaps more than anything, it enabled the wider society to engage with the trade process, despite setbacks.” These sentiments are echoed by Y.V. Sharma, president of the Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Jammu and Kashmir:
“More than the actual GDP, what the trade process has brought is emotional GDP… I believe this has enormous potential to make borders irrelevant.”
Since 2009, Conciliation Resources, a UK-based peacebuilding organization, has worked with local partners and the Joint Chamber to provide practical support for the development of this institution and the trade process. This work was awarded the “Positive Collaboration Award” by Bond, an umbrella body for international NGOs.
Serbs and Albanians already engage in significant trade, but like the mentioned video content, many situations cause unrest. It seems that a third party is needed here to help build peace. Although the EU does not have a mandate to regulate our trade relations, its assistance would be invaluable, mainly through promoting trade relations and supporting various development projects that would ensure the sustainability of trade. This would encourage the positive impact of trade, reduce unforeseen negative consequences, and initiate greater engagement and cooperation from the civil sector of both sides during negotiations and through the implementation of mechanisms to monitor outcomes.
Increasing the engagement of the civil sector from both sides would also help eliminate potential negative impacts such as unequal distribution of trade profits, fueling conflict, or financing arms procurement. Assistance is also needed for the civil sector to achieve stable operations and adequate capacity to reach all political actors and the broader social community on both sides.
EU assistance would be welcome in protecting the concept of peace from those who benefit from “war economies” or the status quo.
We also know that foreign investors might prefer to wait for stable business conditions before investing in a conflict-affected country, which certainly delays the stability they seek, which we ourselves cannot achieve.
It is also worth noting that companies bear significant responsibility. Most private sector initiatives are voluntary, and it is natural for companies to strive for a stable business environment because gaining the trust of local consumers, besides profit, gives companies the opportunity to integrate human rights and build peace through their presence and work.
Therefore, trade plays a significant role in peacebuilding as part of economic recovery, and economic recovery is part of sustainable peace. And the key role of the EU in the peace process is to ensure and strengthen economic recovery.
Let us recall our article “The Only Good News from Kosovo,” where the creator of an online platform for learning Albanian and Serbian, Veljko Samardžić, points out that 300 young Albanians are currently learning Serbian. Unfortunately, this fact has not received even a fraction of the media attention as the aforementioned video, but it is important that, unlike the video content, it is accurate and verifiable, indicating openness to cooperation.
Young influencers should not be condemned; they should be shown their mistake and its consequences, but also the fact that everyone is responsible for their actions and certainly given a chance to improve.
Young people should be urged to avoid the path of hatred, as it has no future. It is not the time for political point-scoring; people from the civil society, social sector, political parties, and their leaders need to start creating peace for the generations to come.
